Cheshire’s boutique Hide and Seek festival has announced its lineup for 2022 and there are some big names on the bill this year.
This September, the festival will return to the beautiful grounds of Capesthorne Hall with a new ‘ethereal’ theme and an expanded line-up of emerging talents and enduring legends, split across five stages.
Organisers announced this morning that this year’s event will feature performances from Todd Terje, Priku, Zip, Apollonia, Sonja Moonear, Fumiya, Tanaka, Raresh and loads more.
This year marks the third edition of the festival, which has already made a huge impact on the underground festival circuit – quickly becoming synonymous with authentic electronic sounds from the worlds of house, techno, disco and minimal.
Image: Hannah Metcalfe
A host of Manchester brands like You&Me, Animal Crossing, Surco, Arcadia, Tranquil and God Made Me Funky are all set to appear, as well as a host of tastemakers from further afield.
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This include Paris’s Automatic Writing, Liverpool’s MODU:LAR and Zuku, London’s Bizarre Trax and Beeyou, SetOneTwenty and Magnetic from Leeds and Real Gang from Ibiza.
Last year’s show was so widely loved that organisers were left with no other choice than to expand the offer to a two-day format and to create space for extended set times and a growing list of talent.
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Importantly, the focus remains firmly on careful curation and coherent programming to maintain Hide&Seek’s well-deserved reputation as a festival by and for serious music lovers.
Image: Hannah Metcalfe
Just announced debutants includeTraumer, Gene on Earth b2b The Ghost, Binh b2b DJ Masda, Chris Stussy, Dungeon Meat and Jamie 3:26.
They will join a host of returning favourites including Josh Baker, Spokenn, Sugar Free, Sweely, Voigtmann and many more.
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This year’s festival concept is Electric Dreams, promising revellers a sure-fire trip to the ethereal.
The grounds of Capesthorne Hall will once again be transformed into an adult wonderland with crystal clear sound and immersive production, with luscious woodland, lakes and landscaped gardens all open to explore.
Festival co-founder Josh Baker said: “As we enter year 3, we couldn’t be more excited to showcase what’s in store. We are taking huge steps to continue to both entertain and educate the dance floor.
Image: Supplied
“We have spent endless hours considering the programme to offer an optimal experience over two days which allows ravers to discover new names whilst being blown away by legends of the scene. For 2022, our mission is to offer an experience you never knew you needed. Electric Dreams.”
Fellow co-founder Kurt Hurst added: “The development from our first edition in 2019 to the 2021 festival was clearly a huge step up, and as per our marketing and messaging this was always part of the vision.
“However there is still further room for growth and this will be evident on arrival to Capesthorne Hall on September 3rd/4th.
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“After 2021 we received such incredibly overwhelming feedback in regards to stage concepts, entertainment, audio & production, but we can assure that all of these elements will continue to evolve and allow us to deliver an even better ‘dreamlike’ experience.”
Tickets are on sale now via the Hide and Seek website, with payment plans starting from just £15.
Feature image – Supplied
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Super League ‘Rivals Round’ fixtures confirmed, with two big North West clashes
Danny Jones
The Betfred Super League (BSL) ‘Rivals Round’ games for 2026 have been confirmed, with two big regional clashes coming in time for the spring.
Returning for 2026, the annual meeting of multiple teams coming up against their fiercest and most historic rivals will land on round seven of the calendar over the traditional Easter weekend.
Despite the competition having sadly lost Salford Red Devils following their forced relegation, local rugby fans will still be glad to see the borough of Wigan, as well as neighbouring Cheshire and nearby Merseyside clubs, coming up against each other in what is a highly anticipated fixture on the calendar.
Announcing the now fully confirmed matches this week, the total of seven matches are set to be played between Friday, 3 April and the following Sunday, 5 April.
In the Super League’s own words, there are few gameweeks more box office than the Rivals Round – “where the games mean more, hit harder and have the ability to divide towns and families.”
After the inaugural edition of the modern round in 2021, this year saw the division record a best-ever attendance of 86,080 across a six-match period, and with an extra game being played next season, we’re expecting more ground to be broken.
“The most intense and historic rivalries will go head-to-head with huge crowds anticipated, emotions running high and everyone expected to bring their A game”, say the BSL.
Huddersfield Giants v York Knights – Saturday, 4 April
Castleford Tigers v Wakefield Trinity – Sunday, 5 April
One of the most notable exclusions among the slate, of course, is that of Salford Red Devils, as various players and staff members continue to leave the club during this increasingly concerning and deep period of uncertainty.
Salford supporters have given a clear response following the decisive drop in IMG gradings:
Although they are now longer in rugby league’s premier domestic tier, Salford are still expected to take part in the Challenge Cup tournament, which begins in January.
Betfred and the RFL revealed the most recent ties on Monday, 24 November, with the Devils due to face either Royal Navy Rugby or Hammersmith Hills Hoists in the second round.
Meanwhile, with the new campaign kicking off in February, rugby fans will only have to wait a couple of months to witness the upcoming instalments in the various rivalries.
Safe to say it’s going to be a spicy Easter break.
A Greater Manchester campaigner is calling on the government to get rid of VAT on energy bills
Danny Jones
With the colder months now well and truly upon us, a local campaigner is calling on the UK government to scrap VAT on energy bills across the country.
The nation is still in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and besides grocery shopping, business rates and eating out still climbing, one of the biggest hits to the wallet continues to be at home, thanks to the cost of gas and electricity.
With that in mind, and as we approach the ever-challenging festive period when purse strings feel tighter than ever, industry expert and Bolton-born entrepreneur Corin Dalby is making a fresh push for crucial aid and urging Brits to put digital pen to paper.
Sharing the petition link on social media – which has been taken up by more than 42,000 people online – Dalby is asking others who believe domestic residents deserve a much-needed let-off to sign the Change.org document and help scrap VAT on energy bills in the UK.
Introducing himself and the idea in the description beneath the petition, the Greater Manchester native writes: “My name is Corin Dalby, and last year I successfully campaigned for hospices in the UK to receive an extra £100 million of government funding, with the support of 37,254 signatures.
“Now I’m calling on the Government to axe the 5% VAT we are all forced to pay on our energy bills.”
Dalby, 56, is the co-founder and CEO of non-profit energy company, Box Power CIC (community interest company), and has seen significant money from FCA fines go towards palliative care facilities since December last year.
Pointing out that the current energy secretary and former Prime Ministerial candidate, Ed Miliband, has previously hinted that his party would be open to this possibility, he goes on to add: “It’s vital that we hold them to this, to bring some much-needed relief to millions of households.”
While the initial goal aligned with the hope of getting enough signatures to put this bill forward in time for the most recent Labour budget (revealed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Wednesday, 26 November), the initiative could still provide vital support this winter – especially for those worst off.
As mentioned, the 2025 autumn statement has now been shared publicly following some early leaks, and despite including positives like a lift on minimum wage, as well as benefit increases, there have been much bigger reactions to aspects such as the hits being taken by pensioners and more.
The 2025 autumn budget has been largely underpinned by raising taxes by an estimated £26 billion.
If anything, the announcement has made the plea from Dalby and those in agreement more poignant than ever – and there are, indeed, plenty of people in his camp.
Sharing his most recent update back in October on social media, Corin said: “Overjoyed to see 20,000 signatures in just 3 hours.
“Scrapping the 5% VAT will directly save every hospice [an area he’s already successfully advocated for in the past], house and care home in the country, so who will help us to knock this out of the park and help the most vulnerable in our country and quickly smash 100,000?
“If you wish to help make a difference, please support this petition by just adding your name and [circulating] to like-minded contacts and repost this if possible.”
If you agree with the petition, you can sign via the official Change.org link right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
1st March 2022 
